Charles Allen Du Val

Denis Du Val

In Egypt (centre) 10 April 1915

Denis Du Val was born in 1879, the son of Gerald Du Val and his wife nee Catherine Shimwell.

Known as Dick within the family, he became a cloth salesman. In the 1901 Census Return he and his brother Bartram, both still single at that time, were living with their widowed mother at the family home that they had occupied since at least 1881 at 284 Dickenson Road, Rusholme, Chorlton-upon-Medlock in Manchester.

Denis Du Val emigrated to Australia and became a station owner in the Murchison District of Western Australia.

He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force at Guildford in Western Australia on 4 December 1914. He was single, aged 36 and six feet tall. He was a Corporal in "C" Squadron of the 3rd Light Horse Brigade of the 10th Light Horse Regiment, Regimental Service No. 394.

He embarked at Freemantle on 17 February 1915 on the Transport A52 Surada for Gallipoli. With his Regiment, Denis Duval was ordered to advance on to Turkish trenches in a barrage of machine-gun fire.

He was killed, with 36 others from his regiment in the assault on the Nek on the Gallipoli peninsula. He died in action on 7 August 1915 at Walkers Ridge, Gallipoli, and has no known place of burial.

His name is recorded on the Lone Pine Memorial at Gallipoli in Turkey.